Excelling in speaking, writing, and singing in Korean and in K-pop dancing, the students of Korean Language from the Duy Tan University School of Languages, Humanities, & Social Sciences (LHSS) impressed at the second Central Vietnam Korean Language & Culture Festival held on March 30, 2024, at the University of Foreign Languages of Hue University.
Demonstrating diverse talents across several contest sections, DTU students won:
? second prize in Korean Opera,
? third prize in K-pop Random Dance, and
? a consolation prize in Korean Writing
Backed by the Korea Foundation and notably supported by Kia corp. and its Majungmul scholarship foundation, the 2024 Korean Language & Culture Festival attracted students and lecturers from various universities and Korean-language institutions in Central Vietnam, such as the University of Foreign Language Studies of Danang University, DTU, Dong A University, King Sejong Institute, and the University of Foreign Languages of Hue University, in addition to advisors from Hanoi University, the University of Social Sciences & Humanities of the Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi, and the University of Social Sciences & Humanities of the VNU in Ho Chi Minh City.
DTU lecturers and students were happy with the many major awards
Many exciting and unique activities livened up the festival. The chance to experience traditional Korean games brought joy and cultural connections to all contestants. Attendees could also enjoy famous and widely loved Korean dishes. The contest sections of Korean Writing, K-pop Random Dance, and Golden Bell Challenge (about Korean culture) saw enthusiastic participation from talented contestants. Of note, the Korean opera night featured outstanding and engaging performances.
The Korean Opera section was a novelty this year. It was considered the hardest one, as Korean opera is still quite novel in Vietnam and it requires detailed preparation, seamless coordination, and the combined appeal of both stage drama and music. The DTU opera team, consisting of members of the university’s K-POP Club, excellently won second prize with their performance of Changgwi.
Changgwi won second place in the Korean Opera section
The opera Changgwi was inspired by Ahn Ye-eun’s song of the same name. With two acts, one set in the era of the Joseon dynasty and one in modern times, the DTU opera team skillfully adapted the story in the song Changgwi and intertwined it with Vietnamese ma trành stories, thus showcasing the many cultural similarities between Vietnam and Korea. The actors’ immersive acting and the synergy among them along with the well-chosen images, videos, and music captivated the audience, keeping them engrossed in every turn of the Changgwi opera.
“This was our first encounter with the musical genre, so we felt like a fish out of water as most of our team’s forte is dance cover,” DTU K-POP Club head Tran Thi Kim Ha Phuong said for the opera team. “Since it was our first time working in the genre, we spent a lot of time on everything from coming up with ideas, assigning tasks, and finding suitable actors to preparing props, images, videos, and sound for each scene. For our polished and impressive performance at the opera night, we are deeply grateful to the lecturers at the DTU Faculty of Korean Language for their full support - from revising the Korean-language script, preparing props, coaching the actors’ Korean pronunciation, taking care of meals and lodging when away; for always motivating and fervently cheering for all members in all contest sections of the festival.”
The K-POP Club also won third prize in K-pop Random Dance
Founded in 2020 by the DTU Faculty of Korean Language, the DTU K-POP Club attracts many students, particularly those studying Korean at the university. The DTU K-POP Club is like a fresh breeze: it brings joy to the vibrant young people on campus and allows club members to practice teamwork, develop planning skills, and relax after classes with numerous opportunities to meet, interact, and network with both local and international students, and especially with Korean international and exchange students.
Besides leaving their mark in the opera section, members of the DTU K-POP Club also proved their music appreciation skills, dance talent, and stage presence in the K-pop Random Dance section, where they earned third prize. “In K-pop Random Dance, the competing teams don’t know beforehand what song or what genre they’ll dance to,” Hoang Trung Kien says for the DTU K-pop Random Dance team. “We stand on stage and the organizers randomly play a K-pop song. As soon as the music starts, we must quickly come up with the dance moves of the song and start dancing immediately, or we’re out.”
Phung Thach Thao won a consolation prize in Korean Writing
In the Korean Writing section, DTU student Phung Thach Thao received a consolation prize for her essay on Sharing. Sociable, friendly, empathetic, and skilled at caring and sharing with those around her, she emphasized the importance of sharing in life. She wrote: Sharing tightens interpersonal relationships and fosters understanding and readiness to help one another when needed. Share even the smallest things in life, from a sorrow shared with someone to happiness spread to all; share what you have with the less fortunate. This all allows us to touch one another’s hearts and to live in joy and happiness.
At this second Central Vietnam Korean Language & Culture Festival of 2024, the organizers also awarded prizes to other universities:
? first prizes in Opera, in K-pop Random Dance, and in Quiz went to the University of Foreign Languages of Hue University;
? first and third prizes in Writing, second prize in K-pop Random Dance, and a consolation prize in Opera went to the University of Foreign Language Studies of Danang University;
? second prize in Quiz, third prize in Opera, and a consolation prize in K-pop Random Dance went to Dong A University.
(Media Center)